In 2002, Mario Williams was the first overall pick in the draft, and he played his first four seasons in football with the team that drafted him, the Houston Texans.  Mario Williams signed a massive free-agent contract with the Buffalo Bills in March 2012. Landing in Western New York as the cornerstone of the defense, Williams immediately validated the record-breaking deal by establishing himself as one of the most dominant edge rushers in franchise history.

Williams was a rare physical specimen combining elite size, functional strength, and explosive initial quickness. Operating primarily as a 4-3 defensive end, his primary trait on tape was converting speed into power; he routinely overwhelmed offensive tackles with a punishing bull rush, using his long reach to disengage and collapse backfields toward the quarterback.

Williams made an immediate impact in his inaugural season in Western New York (2012), leading the Bills with 10.5 sacks despite competing through a wrist injury. In 2013, he received his third career Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors after accumulating 13.0 sacks, including a franchise single-game record-tying 4.5-sack performance against the Carolina Panthers.

His remarkable peak came in 2014 when he played a vital role in Buffalo’s well-known "Cold Front" defensive line, teaming up with Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, and Jerry Hughes. Williams achieved a career-best 14.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 18 Approximate Value (AV), and two forced fumbles. His outstanding performance earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and his fourth Pro Bowl selection, contributing to Buffalo leading the NFL in total sacks with 54.

Following a coaching change and scheme shift in 2015 (5.0 sacks), Williams was released and signed with division rival Miami for his final NFL season in 2016. Over his four years with the Bills (2012–2015), Williams started all 63 games, recording 43.0 sacks, 52 tackles for loss, 193 tackles, and seven forced fumbles.

As we approach the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday, we have been working on our future eligible section.  As football players don’t always retire after they played their last game (usually to see if they can land another job while sitting out as a free agent) we aren’t able to immediately add them.  

With that being the case, here are some new additions to the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame eligible list.

Antonio Smith: Smith played on the Defensive Line where he was a 2011 Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans.

Darrell Stuckey: Stuckey played at Safety for his entire career with the San Diego Chargers where he was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2014.

Dashon Goldson: Goldson would twice be name to the Pro Bowl (2011 & 2012), the latter of which seeing the Free Safety win the First Team All-Pro.

DeAngelo Williams:  Williams was an eleven-year veteran, all with the Carolina Panthers and he was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2009.

D’Qwell Jackson: Jackson was a Pro Bowl Linebacker in 2014 and he would lead the NFL in Solo Tackles in 2011.  

Gary Barnidge: Barnidge was a Pro Bowl Tight End in 2015.

Jon Dorenbos: Dorenbos was a two-time Pro Bowl Long Snapper.

Marc Mariani: Mariani would be named to the Pro Bowl as a Returner in 2010.

Mario Williams: Williams was the first overall pick in 2006 and would become a four-time Pro Bowl Selection.

Michael Griffin: Griffin would go to two Pro Bowls at Free Safety as a Tennessee Titan.

Paul Soliai: Soliai was a Pro Bowler in 2011.

Roman Harper: Harper was a two-time Pro Bowler and would win the Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints.

Ryan Matthews: Matthews was a Pro Bowl Running Back in 2011 and he would have two 1,000 Rushing Yard seasons.

Trent Cole: Cole was a two-time Pro Bowl Linebacker (2007 & 2009) who would accumulate 90.5 Quarterback Sacks.

Victor Cruz: Crus would win a Super Bowl with the New York Giants and was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2012.

This group joins A.J. Hawk, Andre Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Antonio Cromartie, Arian Foster, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers, Chad Greenway, Chris Chester, DeMarcus Ware, Devin Hester, Evan Mathis, Jake Long, James Laurinaitis, Jeremy Zuttah, Jerome Felton, Jordan Cameron, Josh Brown, Justin Forcett, Nick Mangold, Pat McAfee, Percy Harvin, Robert Mathis, Ryan Clady, Steve Smith, Tony Romo, Vince Wilfolk and Vincent Jackson who are already featured.

The entire group eligible for 2022 can be found here.

As always, we encourage you to vote and state your opinion.

Thank you again for your support!

Mario Williams was the first overall Draft Pick of the 2006 Draft (many thought the Houston Texans were going to select Reggie Bush instead) and while he may not have met overall expectations the Defensive End had a good career.  While he was with Houston, Williams was named a Second Team All Pro in 2007and he finished third in Quarterback Sacks with 14.  He would be named to the Pro Bowl in both 2008 & 2009 and in the five seasons that he was a Texan he would get to QB 53 times.